Capsule-filling machinery



1 Feb. 12; 1920. 1,701,887'

L; F. HELLMANN ETAL CAPSULE FILLING MACHINERY Filed Nov. 28, 1927 3 Sheets-$heet 1 I N VEN TOR.

Feb. 12, 1929. 1,701,887

L. F. HELLMANN ET AL CAPSULE FILLING MACHINERY Filed Nov. 28, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

F eb; 12, 1929. 1,701,887

L. F. HELLMANN ET AL CAPSULE FILLING MACHINERY Filed Nov. 28, 192'! a Sheets-Sheet 6 4 a; if

INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 12, 1929.

LUI Ii. HEIJIIM-ANN AND JOHN DAHL, 0F INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

CAPSULE-P11311115 G MAGHINERY.

Application filed. November 23, 1927. Serial No. 286,343.

The object of our invention is to provide an economical and practical way for the rapid filling of a quantity of capsules.

A. further object of our invention is to eliminate the infections caused by the method of hand filling when using certain types of materials.

A. further object of our invention is to produce a means whereby an accurate amount of material can be placed into each capsule.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

lVith these objects in View, our invention primarily consists of a'inaterial hopper which terminates in a. groove of a disc, said disc being so arranged as to carry the body of the capsule on one side of the groove and the cap of the capsule on the other side of the same groove.

Means are provided for causing the cap-- sules to enter this disc and to separate into their component parts.

Further means are provided for causing one partof the capsule to be pushed through the material in the hopper, and to be filled with the material while doing this, after which this portion of the capsule caused to rejoin its component part and be ejected from the machine. 7

Further means are provided for causing the material, through which the capsule passes. to be compressed to a given density.

Further means are provided for adjusting the machine so that the weights of material entering the capsule can be accurately regulated, and so that the proper amount of j oining can be secured in reclosing the capsules.

Referring now to the drawings Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section through the machine.

Figure 2 shows a cross section through the machine, this cross section being taken through the center of the groove in the disc.

Figure shows a front elevation of the machine.

l igure l shows a cross section of the machine taken at a point which clearly shows the mechanism which rotates the disc.

Figure 5 shows a partial enlarged section taken through the capsule filling tube.

Figure 6 shows a partial enlarged section taken through the terminus of the material hopper.

Again referring to the drawings:

10 indicates the main body which supports and contains the various component parts.

11 indicates the disc into which the groove 12 has been constructed, and which has the cap hole 13 and the body hole 1a placed therein.

15 indicates the material hopper which terminates in the groove 12.

r 16 indicates the material tamper which is located in the hopper l5 and which is operated by the cam 17 acting on the roller l8,push rod 20, adjusting screw 19 and rocker arm 21: rocker arm 21 being fulcrumed on pivot pin 22.

Push rod and roller 18 are held in contact with cam 17 by spring 23, while tamper 16 is raised by action. of spring 24.

25 indicates the filling, joining and ejector plunger which is normally held out by spring 26, and which is operated. by segment gear 27 through rack 28, said rack 28 being permanently attached to plunger 25.

29 indicates the capsule holding bar which is operated by the rod 30, said rod 30 being rigidly attached to plunger 25. 'ihe proper joining of the capsules is regulated by the adjusting screw 31 which is locked in place by nut 32.

33 indicates the worm gear which is driven by the worm 3a through shaft 35 and pulley 36, and by means of which power is transmitted. to operate the machine.

37 indicates the spacer block which is placed in the groove at the filling holes, and which guides the capsule body into its proper position.

38 indicates the conduit which is connected to any source of vacuum supply, and which terminates directly opposite the filling tubes 39 and 4:0.

41 indicates the shaft which rotates disc 11 and which rides in bearings 42.

Shaft ll is rotated intermittently by ratchet wheel 43.

The movement of ratchet wheel 43 is regulated by cam 44 acting through roller 45, lever d6, pawl a7 and springs 48 and 4:9.

50 indicates the indexing. plunger which is operated by cam 51 acting through roller 52 and lever 53 and by the spring 54.

55 indicates the ejector trough.

The operation of our capsule filling machine is as follows Before applying the power to the pulley 36, which may also be an electric motor or any other source of power, and before permitting vacuum to flow in conduit 38, the operator fills the hopper 15 with the material with which the capsules are to be filled.

The operator next fills the auxiliary capsule tube 39 with capsules, all of these being placed into the tube with the small, or body, end downwards. The capsule tube 40 is next filled in a like manner.

Vacuum is now caused to exist inthe con v duit 38. The pressure exerted by this vacuum draws a capsule from each of tubes 39 and 40 into two of the #13 openings of disc 11, which two openings are in respective alignment with the filling tubes 39 and 40;

The capsules into opening '13 until the cap 64 of the capsule comes into' contact with shoulder 56in opening 13. The opening 57 in disc 11 is large enough to permit the body 63 of the capsule to pass through, but the cap 64 cannot.

After the capsule cap 64 comes into con tact with the shoulder 56 it stops, but the continued pressure of vacuum acts on the capsule body 63, causing it to separate from q the cap 64'and to enter the opening 14 of disc 11 after being guided by and passing through spacer 37; the capsule body being prevented from passing out of the disc 11 by the shoulder 58 in opening 14.

The capsule is now in a position to be filled, joined and ejected, I

Power is now applied to the machine through the pulley 36, or through any other source ofpower.

By action of the cam 51, acting through roller 52 and lever 53, the plunger is withdrawn from the opening 14, thus leaving the I disc 11 free to index.

Simultaneously, by action of the cam 17,

acting through roller 18, push rod 20, adjusting screw 19, rocker arm 21 and springs 23 and 24, the tamper16 is caused to rise, allow material to flow under it and returned to compress the material into space 60.

By action of cam 44, acting through roller 45, lever 46,-pawl 47 and springs 48 and 49,

on ratchet wheel 43, the disc 11 is caused to advance one notch.

By action of the cam 51, acting through roller 52, lever 53 and spring 54, the plunger 50 is again inserted into the opening 14, thereby causing disc 11 to stop in the proper index position. a V

The openings 13 and 14, which now come into line with capsule filling tube 40 are empty, and they are filled with a capsule in the manner above described.

1 Whereas theopenings 13 and 14 in disc 11, which come into line with the auxiliary filling tube 39 are filled, no action occurs in this tu e.

By action of the teeth on gear segment 27, which segment 27 is rotated in a clockwise direction When'viewed in Figure 1, coming into contact with rack 28on plunger 25, said plunger 25 is caused to move towards disc 11. The end 59 of the plunger 25 now enters opening 14 of disc 11, and it comes into contact with the capsule body 63 therein. The continued forward movement of plunger 25 with its end 59, pushes the capsule body 63 before it, through opening 60 which is the material filled space between the tamper 16 and the is properly joined;

lVhen the proper point of joining has been reached, this point being governed by'the adjusting screw 31, the rod 30, which is rigidly connected to plunger 25, comes into contact with ad usting screw 31. The continued forward movement of the plunger25 and connected rod 30 now causes the holding bar 29, which ishinged by the pin 61, to move away from the opening 13, V

The further forward movement oi the plunger 25 and its end59 now causes the capsule to be ejected into the. ejector trough 55, through which the filled capsule, by action of gravity. falls into any external con-, tainer. When the rod 59 has reached the end of its stroke, and assuming that the rod 30 were not in existence, the holder bar 29 would continue to bear on the capsule, and, by action of friction, it would hold the capsule between the end of the rod 59 and holder bar 29 and would tend to return the capsule into the disc 11 instead of permittingthe capsule to fall free by action of gravity. By inserting the .rod 30 into the position shown, so that it strikes the approximate center ofholder bar 29, the end of holder bar 29, which engages the capsule, is caused to travel faster than the capsule and thereby to leave thecapsule free to fall from the disc by action of'grav- The continued rotation of the gear segment 2'? now causes thetoothless space 62'to come into line with theraek 28, thereby relieving the mechanical pressure on the plunger 25. When this pressure is relieved, the spring 26 causes the plunger 25 with its end 59and rod 30 to return to the normalposition. The holding bar 29 returns to normal by action of gravity or a spring.

The foregoingdescription covers one complet-e cycle of the machine. Subsequent cycles operate in a like manner. 7

The auxiliary capsule tube 39 is used only to carry a reserve supply of capsules, and to keep the disc 11 filled, if, for any cause, a capsule fails to enter through tube 40.

Various modifications of the mechanical operations of this machine may be used without detracting from the objects and claims of this invention.

The cap may be pushed through the mate rial hopper, or both-parts may be caused to move and join within the hopper.

The rotating disc 11 may be replaced with a sliding means, and various other similar modifications may be used.

The devices herein illustrated constitute but a few of the many combinations and devices which may be used to accomplish the same result.

The machine can also be constructed with any multiple series of holes in the disc 11, and a correspondiu series of plungers 25 and filling tubes and 4:0,

For certain classes of materials it is necessary to use agitators in the hopper 15 to give a proper How of material for the lamp or 16.

Having described our invention, What We claim as new and desire to cover by Letters Patent is:-

1. In a capsule filling machine, means for causing capsules to separate into their component parts, means for causing capsule parts to be placed into proper position with relation to material container, means for placing material into filling position, means for causing capsules to lo joined after passing through space containing material and means for ejecting capsules.

2. In a capsule filling machine, means tor causing capsules to separate into their component parts, means for causing capsule parts to be placed into proper position With relation to material container, means for placing material into filling position, means for causing one part of capsule to pass through space containing material, means for joining capsules, and meanst'or ejecting capsules.

3. In a capsule filling machine, means for causing capsules to separate into their component parts, means for causing capsule parts to be placed into proper position with relation to material container, means for placing material into filling position, means for causing material to be compressed into confined space, means for causing capsules to be joined after passing through confined space containing material, and means for ejecting capsules.

4. In a capsule filling machine, means for causing capsules to separate into their component parts, means for causing capsule parts to be placed into proper position With relation to material container, means for placing material into filling position, means for causing material to be compressed into confined space, means for causing one part of capsule to pass through confined space containing material, means for joining capsules and means for ejecting capsules.

5. In a capsule filling machine, a grooved disc, means for supporting capsule body on one side of groove, means for supporting capsule cap on opposite side of groove, means for filling capsules, said means comprised of material hopper terminating in groove of disc, means for placing material into filling position, means for causing capsule body to through some containing material, means for causing capsules to oin and means for eject-- ing capsules. i

'l'. In a capsule filling machine, a grooved disc, means for supporting 'apsule body on one side oi groove, means for supporting capsule cap on opposite side of groove, means for filling capsules, said means comprised of material hopper terminating in groove of disc means for placing material into filling posit. in, means tor causing capsule body to pass through space containing material and accunuilate material from hopper, means for causing capsules to join and means for ejecting capsules.

8. In a capsule filling macnine, a grooved disc, means for supporting capsule body on one side of groove, means for supporting capsule cap on opposite side of groove, means for iausing capsules to enter their respective positions in disc, means for filling capsules, said means comprised of material hopper termina ting in groove of disc, means for placing material into filling position, means for causing capsule body to pass through space containing material and accumulate material from hopper, means for causing capsules to join and means for ejecting capsules.

9. In a capsule filling machine, a grooved disc, means for supporting capsule body on one side of groove, means for supporting capsule cap on opposite side of groove, means for filling capsules, said means comprised of material hopper terminating in groove of disc, means for placing material into filling position, means for compressing material into confined space, means for causing capsule part to pass through confined space containmaterial, means for causing capsules to join and means for ejecting capsules.

10. In a capsule filling machine, a grooved disc, means for supporting capsule body on one side of groove, means for supporting capsule cap on opposite side of groove, means for causing capsules to enter their respective positions in disc, means tor filling capsules, said means comprised oi? material hopper terminating in groove of disc, means for placing material into filling position, means for compressing material into confined space, means for causing capsule part to pass through confined space c'ontainin'g material, means for causing capsules to oin mg capsules. 1' v 11. In a capsule fi'lllng machine, a grooved and means for ejectdisc, means for supporting capsule body on oneside of groove, means for supporting cap sule cap on opposite, side of groove, means for I 1 tion, means for compressing material into conllw fined space, means for causing capsule part to pass through space containing material and accumulate material. from confined space,

meansfor causing. capsules to join and means for ejecting capsules.

12. In a capsule filling machine, a grooved disc, means for supporting capsule body on one side of groove, means for supporting capsule cap on opposite side of groove, means for causing capsule parts toenter their respective positions in disc, means for filling capsules, said means comprised. of material hopper terminating in groove of disc, means for placing material into filling position, means for compressing material into confined space, means for causing capsule part to pass through space containing material and accumulate material from confined space, means for causing capsules to join and means for ejecting capsules.

13. In a capsule filling machine, a grooved disc, means for supporting capsule body on one side of groove, means for supporting capsule cap on opposite side of 'roove, means "for filling capsules, said means comprised of material hopper terminating in groove of disc, meansforplaoing material into filling position, means for compressing material into confined space, means for causing capsule body to pass through. confined space contain ing material, means for causing capsulesfto join and means for ejecting capsules.

i 14. In a capsule filling machine, a grooved disc, means for'supporting capsule body on one side of groove, means for supporting capsule cap on opposite side of groove, means for causing capsule parts to enter their respective positions in disc, means for filling capsules, said means comprised of material hopper terminating in groove of disc, means for placing material into filling position, means for compressing material into confined space, means for causing capsule body to pass through confined space containing material, means for causing capsules to join and means forejecting capsules.

15. In a capsule fillingmachine, a grooved disc, means for sup aorting capsule body on one side of groove, means for suppor'ing capsule cap on opposite side of groove, means for filling capsules, said means comprised of material hopper terminating in groove of disc, means for placing material into filling position, means for compressing material into confined space, means for causing capsule'body to pass through space containing material and accumulate material from confined space, means for causing capsules to oin and means forejecting capsules.

.16. In a capsule filling machine, a grooved disc, means for supporting capsulebody on one side of groove, means for supporting capsule cap on opposite side of groove,'means for causing capsules to enter their respective positions in disc, means for filling capsules, said means comprised of material hopper terminating in groove of disc, means for placing material into filling position, means for compr ssing material into confined space, means for causing capsule body to pass throughspace containing material and accumulate material from confined space, means for causingcapsules to join and means for ejecting capsules. r

17. Ina capsule filling machine, a grooved disc, means for supporting capsule body on,

one side of groove, means for supporting capsule cap on opposite side 01": groove, means for causing capsules to enter disc and separate into their component parts, means for causing component parts to enter their respective positions in said disc, means for filling and rejoining said capsules, said means comprised of material hopper, means for placing material into filling position, means for causing capsule part to pass through space containing material and accumulate material from hopper and means for causing capsules to be rejoined and means for ejecting capsules trom'said disc.

18. In a capsule filling machine, a grooved disc, means for supporting capsule body on one side of groove, means for supporting capsule cap on opposite side of groove, means for causing capsules to enter disc and separate into their component parts, means for causing component parts to enter their respective positions in disc, means for filling and rejoining capsules, said means comprised of material hopper, means for LUI r. HELLMANN. JOHN DAHL. 

